What is the Academy?

The Middlesex County Academy for Science, Mathematics and Engineering Technologies (commonly referred to as either The Middlesex County Academy or simply The Academy) is a magnet school on the Middlesex County College campus which focuses on science, mathematics, and engineering.

It’s difficult to define concisely a school which represents so much to so many people. On the surface, the Middlesex County Academy is an academically challenging school which pushes its students to their limits and beyond. Its amazing faculty provide a warm, safe atmosphere for the students, who are hand-picked to ensure the greatest diversity of ideas and group dynamic. The engineering program at the Middlesex County Academy is top-notch, taught by two teachers with decades-worth of experience in their respective fields. The math and science curricula are equally demanding, enabling students to get a leg up on their competition and create impressive rosters for their college applications. In addition to the college-level classes offered at the Academy, upperclassmen have the opportunity to spend their elective periods taking actual college classes at the Middlesex County College. These credits can later be transferred to their respective colleges, should the arrangements be made.

Grades are not given on a curve – more than one person can get an A, and students are encouraged to study together and help each other. By contrast, plagiarism rules are strictly enforced, as the school is meant to model the real world.

There is, however, a deeper level than the pure academics, which makes the Middlesex County Academy less of a school and more of a home. The students at the Academy commonly refer to it as a “big happy family.” High school can be a tough time for some students, especially those who might have suffered from bullying or being labeled as a “nerd” in middle school, but at the Academy, that kind of treatment of a student is not tolerated – in fact, it’s basically unheard of.

Grades are limited to just 40 students, and so by the end of a four-year cycle, each graduate has 39 life-long friends, not counting the ones they’ve made from grades above and below them. Students who are having difficulties, either academic or social in nature, can feel comfortable talking to their friends and teachers and seeking their guidance.

The Middlesex County Academy is not for everyone. Not everyone is up to the task of its challenging curriculum, and not everyone will reap the benefits of a science- and math-based education. However, for those interested in its subjects and motivated to push themselves further than they thought possible, the Middlesex County Academy for Science, Mathematics and Engineering Technologies can be an amazing home not only for their four years of high school, but also well into the future.

About Jake Binstein:

Jake Binstein graduated from the Academy in 2010, and graduated from Rutgers University in 2014 with a double major in Information Technology and Informatics and Jewish Studies. He now works at a software firm as a Quality Assurance Engineer.